Foot-pedal switch.



J. HELSTROM.

FOOT PEDAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1911.

1,019,745. Patented M21125, 1912.

3 nod Mm Q7510: .Helstxgm WHM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HELSTBDM, OF MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

- FOOT-PEDAL ,swrr'cn.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 24, 1911. Serial No. 658,546.

' To till whom it may concern:

' which will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to-which this invention appertains. l v

Among the objects of the invention are to provide'a foot-pselalswitch which will be durable in construction, simple, efiicient in eration, and not liable to get out of order, and one wherein the pedal will be at all times insulated from the switch blades, whereby metal may be used for the formation of the pedal, without any liability of short-circuiting the device through the pedal and-"some portion of the automobile, as, for instance, the foot board or some metallic element carried thereby.

With thcseand other objects in view, as will more fully appcar 'as the description .proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements-of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and For a full understanding of the invention, reference-is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in

which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of my improved electric switch; Fig, 2 is an inner face viewthereof, and

an automobile, for instance, slightly above the floor boards. The casing 1 contains a face plate-3 of fiber or other insulating material, and switch blades 4 are secured to said base plate, said switch blades in the present instance being of angular form, as shown, and having angular extremities 5 insulated in any desired way from the bottom of the casing and connected in any desired way to the binding posts 6. The other ends of the switch blades 4 extend in overlapping relation to each other, as shown, being normally spaced from each other, the switch blades, or at least the outermost one of them, being constructed of spring material, whereby a circuit through the blades will be auto- Patcnted Mar. 5, 1.912.

matically opened after pressure upon the I outermost blade end has been relieved.

I In order to press the outermost blade end into contact with the overlapped end of the other blade so as to close the circuit,-I have provided in the present embodiment of the invention a pad 8 of fiber or similar .insulating substance, said pad being connected in any desired way to aspring actuated arm 9, the latter being formed with an angular upper end 10 by which it is secured to and suspended from the top of the casing 1. The lower free end of the actuating. arm 9 is preferably curved outwardly, as indicated at 11, and is designed to engage the nose 12- of a foot pedal 13, said pedal being mounted intermediate of its ends between lugs 14 that are formed on the bottom of the casing, as shown. As the actuating arm 9 is composed of spring material, the end which is engaged by the nose 12 of the pedal 13 will yield after the actuating arm has been pressed inwardly far enough to eiiect the engagenientof the overlapping ends of the switch blades; consequently, all liability of mashing the blades will be prevented.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, the operatibn of my improved pedal actuated' electric switch will be apparent. the practical use of the device, when'the pedal is depressed by the foot of the driver or other occupant of the car, the actuating arm 9 will be moved outwardly so as to press the pad 8 against the outermost overlappin end of one of the switch blades 4, said en being pressed against the overlapping end and the switch blades being brought into contact with each other to close the circuit and thereby sound the horn.

tending across the overlapping ends of the" While the accompanyin drawing illustrates what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto butthat various changes may bemade in the construction, arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing 'from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. i

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. A switch ofthe character described, ii1-. eluding a casing, switch blades mounted therein and providing overlapping ends nor mally. spaced from each other, a springactuated arm secured in the casing and ex switch blades, an insulating pad carried by .Said arm and designed for engagement with and formed, with over other, an actuating arm secured at one end of the casing and extending across the switch blades, a pad of insulating material carried by the said actuating arm and dcsigned to press one switch blade against the other, and a pedal fulcrumed on the casing and projecting therein into engagement with the fr end of the actuating arm for the purpose 'pecified. j

8. An electrical switch of the character described, including switch blades formed with overlapping ends normally spaced from each other, an actuating member 8X- tending across the switch blades behind the same and resiliently held out of engagement with the switch blades, a pad of insulating material carried. by said member and disposed between the actuating member and the adjacent switch blade; and'a pivots-11y supported pedal having a'nose projecting in a position behindsaid member and engaging therewith, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

JOHN nELsrRoM. a 5.

Witnesses ANDREW BoHM, CHRISTIAN THOMPSONP 

